Trigger Module

User’s Guide
Trigger Module

User’s Guide

PM-U02

Copyright © Delsys Incorporated

Specifications and procedures outlined in

this document are subject to change
without notice.

Delsys Logo, EMGworks, and Myomonitor

are Registered Trademarks of Delsys
Incorporated.

MAN-005-1-2
Important Information ................................................................. 5
Intended Use........................................................................ 5
Technical Service and Support ............................................ 5
Warnings and Precautions ................................................... 6
Device Information ............................................................... 7
Disclaimer ............................................................................ 8
Limited Warranty .................................................................. 8
Trigger Module Overview ........................................................... 9
Trigger Module Usage Scenarios ............................................. 12
Primary/Secondary Triggering Using the Trigger Module .. 13
Independent-Signal Triggering Using the Trigger Module . 14
Operating the Trigger Module................................................... 15
Turning the Trigger Module “ON” ....................................... 15
SP-U02 Model ............................................................. 15
SP-U05 Model ............................................................. 15
Start/Stop Trigger Input Options ........................................ 16
Active Trigger Inputs.................................................... 16
Passive Trigger Inputs................................................. 19
Push Button Inputs ...................................................... 20
Start/Stop Trigger Output Options ..................................... 21
START Trigger Output................................................. 21
Stop Trigger Output ..................................................... 23
Appendix - Synchronization and Triggering.............................. 25
The Need for Synchronization ........................................... 25
Acceptable Delays ............................................................. 25
Constant vs. Variable Time Delays .................................... 26
The Concept of Triggering ................................................. 27
Primary/Secondary Triggering ........................................... 28
Independent-Signal Triggering........................................... 29
Common Signal Synchronization ....................................... 30
Stop Triggers ..................................................................... 30
Specifications ........................................................................... 31
Trigger Module ................................................................... 31
Component References............................................................ 32
Important Information

Intended Use
The Trigger Module is intended for research, investigational and
scholarship purposes only. Delsys® products are not intended for
measurement purposes or for use in the treatment and diagnosis
of disease. Interpretation of the EMG signal by a qualified
professional is required.

Technical Service and Support

For information and assistance visit our web site at:
[Link]

Contact us at:
E-mail: support@[Link]
tel: (508) 545 8200

5
Warnings and Precautions

Consult all accompanying documents for precautionary statements and

other important information.

Consult accompanying user’s guide for detailed instructions.

Keep the device dry. The presence of liquids may compromise the
safety features of the device.

Handle with care.

Sensitive electronic device. Avoid static discharges. Do not operate or

store near strong electrostatic, electromagnetic, magnetic or radioactive
fields. Interference from external sources may decrease the signal-to-
noise ratio or result in corrupted data.

This device may cause electrical disturbances in sensitive equipment

within its operating environment.

Connect only to Delsys-approved devices.

Immediately discontinue device use if a change in the device’s perfor-

mance is noted. Contact Delsys technical support for assistance.

Delsys Inc. guarantees the safety, reliability, and performance of the

equipment only if assembly, modifications and repairs are carried out by
authorized technicians; the electrical installation complies with the
appropriate requirements; and the equipment is used in accordance with
the instructions for use.

6 Trigger Module User’s Guide

Device Information

Do not dispose this product with house waste. Contact Delsys Inc. for
instructions on responsibly disposing this device. This product should
not be mixed with other commercial wastes.

Date of Manufacturing (appears on device)

Serial Number (appears on device)

DELSYS INC.
23 Strathmore Rd.
Natick MA 01760
USA
Manufacturer

7
Disclaimer
DELSYS INC. makes no warranties, express or implied, as to
the quality and performance of this product including but not
limited to, any implied warranty of applicability for other than
research uses by qualified individuals. DELSYS INC. shall not
be liable to any person for any medical expenses or any direct or
consequential damages resulting from any defect, failure or mal-
function, whether a claim for such damages is based upon theory
of warranty, contract, tort or otherwise. No representative,
agent, or licensed practitioner is authorized to waive this dis-
claimer. DELSYS INC. makes no diagnosis or prescription by
virtue of anything about this product.

Limited Warranty
The Trigger Module is warranted against failure of materials and
workmanship for a period of 1 year from the date of delivery,
provided that the product is given proper care and has not been
subject to abuse during this period. This warranty is in lieu of all
other warranties expressed or implied. Operation of this device
outside specifications determined by DELSYS INC. or use with
any other input devices other than DELSYS INC. sensors consti-
tute an invalidation of this limited warranty. This warranty is not
transferable.

8 Trigger Module User’s Guide

Trigger Module Overview

EMGworks® Data Acquisition and Analysis Software offers full

triggering capabilities to control the start and stop of all data
acquisition systems in a given experimental setup. The
following trigger functions are available in EMGworks:
Start In Starts data collection on a +5V rising edge
Stop In Ends data collection on a +5V rising edge
Start Out Outputs a +5V pulse once data collection is started
Stop Out Outputs a +5V pulse once data collection is stopped

A Trigger Port is available on TrignoTM, BagnoliTM 4, 8, and 16

Channel EMG Systems, as well as the Myomonitor®. The
Trigger Port gives the user access to the four trigger functions.
The Trigger Module was designed in order to facilitate
connections to the Trigger Port. It offers full signal conditioning
to ensure that input signals are properly configured for Delsys
hardware and that output signals are properly configured for
secondary equipment.
There are two different Trigger Module models depending on
the EMG system: SP-U02 for use with Bagnoli and Trigno
Systems and the SP-U05 for use with the Myomonitor IV
System.

Figure 1. Trigger Module (SP-U02 model)

9
 Figure 2. Trigger Module features and functions.

1 START Input Edge Selector

2 START Input BNC Connector
3 STOP Input Edge Selector
4 START Output Polarity Selector
5 START Output BNC Connector
6 START Output Pulse Length Selector
7 STOP Input BNC Connector
8 STOP Output Polarity Selector
9 STOP Output BNC Connector
10 STOP Output Pulse Length Selector
11 Power Indicator
12 Push button START Trigger
13 Push button STOP Trigger

10 Trigger Module User’s Guide

 Power Indicator / Switch

START Trigger Input

START Trigger Output

STOP Trigger Input

STOP Trigger Output

Rising Edge Input

Falling Edge Input

Positive Output Pulse

Negative Output Pulse

Short Output Pulse (~300 us)

Long Output Pulse (~1s)

Table 1:Trigger Module Symbols.

11
Trigger Module Usage Scenarios

The Trigger Module can be used in two different types of trig-

gering schemes: Primary/Secondary Triggering and Indepen-
dent-Signal Triggering. Please consult the Appendix -
Synchronization and Triggering for important information if
you are new to these subjects.

Measurement Measurement
Data Input A Data Input B
Primary Secondary
Data Acquisition Data Acquisition
System (A) System (B)
Trigger Signal

Figure 3. Primary/Secondary Triggering: In this triggering scheme a

Primary Data Acquisition System is used to control a Secondary Data
Acquisition System.

Measurement
Data Input A
Data Acquisition
System (A)
Start Trigger Input

Independent Measurement
Trigger Device Data Input B
Data Acquisition
System (B)
Start Trigger Input

Figure 4. Independent-Signal Triggering: In this triggering scheme an

independent trigger device is used to generate a signal to start both
Data Acquisition Systems.

12 Trigger Module User’s Guide

Primary/Secondary Triggering Using the Trigger Module
In order to best understand the operation of the Delsys Trigger
Module in Primary/Secondary Triggering, it is useful to identify
the components in a connection scheme:
Primary Data Acquisition System: This is the component that
controls the starting and stopping of all other data acquisition
components in an experiment setup. It can be thought of as the
“Master” component that outputs all control signals.
Secondary Data Acquisition System: This is the component
that is being controlled by the Primary Data Acquisition System.
It can be considered to be the “Slave” since it responds only to
signals from by the “Master” component.
EMGworks: This is the Delsys Signal Acquisition and
Analysis package. It can be the Primary or Secondary System.
EMG System: All trigger signals to EMGWorks are input and
output through the EMG System that it controls. This can be a
Bagnoli 4, 8, or 16 Channel System or a Myomonitor.
Trigger Module: This is the component that ensures proper
communication and integration between the Primary (Master)
and Secondary (Slave) Data Acquisition Systems through signal
conditioning.

EMGworks
Primary Data
Secondary Data EMG System Trigger Module
Acquisition System
Acquisition System

Figure 5. Primary/Secondary Triggering Scenario #1: Controlling

EMGworks with other A/D Systems. In this case, another A/D System is
the Primary Data Acquisition System and is used to trigger EMGworks
as the Secondary System. The Start/Stop Trigger Output from the
Primary Data Acquisition System is connected to the Start/Stop Trigger
Input of the Trigger Module and the Trigger Module is connected to the
EMG System.

EMGworks
Secondary Data
Primary Data EMG System Trigger Module
Acquisition System
Acquisition System
Figure 6. Primary/Secondary Triggering Scenario #2: Controlling A/D
Systems with EMGworks. In this case, EMGworks is the Primary Data
Acquisition System and is used to trigger a Secondary System. The
EMG System is connected to the Trigger Module and the Start/Stop
Trigger Output from the Trigger Module is connected to the Start/Stop
Trigger Input of the Secondary Data Acquisition System.

13
Independent-Signal Triggering Using the Trigger Module
In the Independent-Signal Triggering scenario, the Trigger Mod-
ule is used as a push button device. It is used to start both EMG-
works and another A/D System.
Push Button/
External Event Trigger

EMGworks
Data Acquisition
Data Acquisition EMG System Trigger Module
System B
System A
Figure 7. Independent-Signal Triggering Scenario: Controlling all A/D
Systems with External/Manual Events. In this case, the Trigger Module
is used as a push button device to start both EMGworks and another
Data Acquisition System. The Trigger Module is connected to the EMG
System and the Start/Stop Trigger Output from the Trigger Module is
connected to the Start/Stop Trigger Input of the other Data Acquisition
System.

14 Trigger Module User’s Guide

Operating the Trigger Module

Turning the Trigger Module “ON”

SP-U02 Model
The SP-U02 model is used with the Trigno and Bagnoli
Systems. Power to the Trigger Module is supplied by the cable
that connects to the EMG system and must be connected prior to
activating the device.
1. Connect the Trigger Module Cable to the Trigger Port
located on the EMG System.
2. Turn on the EMG System. (The EMG System must have
already been set up properly for use. For Bagnoli systems,
this includes the proper installation of the National Instru-
ments A/D card in the computer being used).
3. Flip the toggle switch on the front panel of the Trigger Mod-
ule to the “ON” position. The green power LED on the Trig-
ger Module will illuminate to indicate that the device is
powered.

SP-U05 Model
The SP-U05 model is used with the Myomonitor IV device. This
model provides galvanic isolation so that the EMG System
remains isolated from any other equipment connected to the
building ground potential and mains voltage grid. This feature
requires additional power from a 9V battery.
1. Install a 9V battery in the Trigger Module battery compart-
ment.
2. Connect the Trigger Module Cable to the Trigger Port on the
Myomonitor.
3. Turn on the Myomonitor EMG System.
4. Flip the toggle switch on the front panel of the Trigger Mod-
ule to the “ON” position. The green power LED on the Trig-
ger Module will illuminate to indicate that the device is
powered.

15
Start/Stop Trigger Input Options
Active Trigger Inputs
Trigger input signals can be connected to the Trigger Module to
START or to STOP data acquisition in EMGworks. This
corresponds to Scenario #1 in the Trigger Module Usage
Scenarios. The trigger signals are typically generated from
hardware in the experimental setup that is intended to operate in
synchrony with Delsys equipment. Active trigger input signals
consist of pulses that are driven between 0 Volts and 5 Volts.
The Trigger Module can be configured to trigger events on
either positive-edge signals or negative-edge signals.

(a) 100ns min. (b) 100ns min.

Figure 8. a) Positive-edge or “rising” signal. (b) Negative-edge or

“falling” signal. In both cases, the Trigger Module requires a
minimum input pulse width of 100 ns in order to guarantee the proper
registration of the event.
(b) (a)

(c) (d)
Figure 9. Key Active Trigger Input Components of the Trigger Module.
(a) START Input Signal Connector, (b) START Input Edge Selector,
(c) STOP Input Signal Connector. (d) STOP Input Edge Selector.

16 Trigger Module User’s Guide

Positive-edge or “rising” trigger input signals start from 0V and
rise to 5V. The system generating the trigger signal MUST be
connected to 0V prior to the 5V trigger event, and cannot be
floating (that is unconnected to any voltage potential). It is the
transition from 0V to 5V that defines the event. Once the 5V
level is reached, the trigger pulse must be kept in the high state
for a minimum amount of time before returning back to the low
state. The Delsys Trigger Module requires a minimum pulse
duration of 100ns (10-7s). The trigger pulse length should never
exceed the duration of the data acquisition set, however, and
must be reset to the 0V level before the system can be re-
triggered.
Configure the Trigger Module to accept positive-edge trigger
input signals by placing the Input Edge Selector to the “rising”
position. Pay careful attention to the switch location for the
START trigger input (indicated by the light green shading) and
the STOP trigger input (indicated by the light violet shading).
This is important because there may be cases when a “rising”
edge signal is to be used to start acquisition and a “falling” edge
signal is to be used to stop acquisition or vice versa.

Figure 10. Setting the Trigger Module to accept “rising” edge trigger
input signals. The “rising” edge is selected with the Input Edge
Selector for START or STOP in the position circled in the diagram.
Note that the above figure is only representative and may vary with
different device models.

17
 In contrast, negative-edge or “falling” trigger input signals start
from the 5V level and drop to 0V at the trigger event. The
system generating the trigger signal MUST be connected to 0V
at the time of the trigger event and cannot be floating. The
Trigger Module again requires a minimum pulse duration of
100ns. The trigger pulse length should never exceed the duration
of the data acquisition set, however, and must be reset to the 5V
level before the system can be retriggered.
Configure the Trigger Module to accept negative-edge trigger
input signals by placing the Input Edge Selector to the “falling”
position. Pay careful attention to the switch location for the
START trigger input (indicated by the light green shading) and
the STOP trigger input (indicated by the light violet shading).
This is important because there may be cases when a “rising”
edge signal is to be used to start acquisition and a “falling” edge
signal is to be used to stop acquisition or vice versa.

Figure 11. Setting the Trigger Module to accept “falling” edge trigger
input signals. The “falling” edge is selected with the Input Edge
Selector for START or STOP in the position circled in the diagram.
Note that the above figure is only representative and may vary with
different device models.

CAUTION: All trigger input signals must never exceed

5 Volts, as damage to the Trigger Module and other
hardware could result.

18 Trigger Module User’s Guide

Passive Trigger Inputs
In addition to accepting active trigger inputs, where signals are
driven between 0V and 5V as described in the previous section,
the Trigger Module can also accept passive trigger input
signals. These inputs are defined by the presence or absence of a
0V signal. A simple switch can be used to generate a passive
trigger input signal by either connecting an open switch to 0V or
by opening a closed switch that is connected to 0V. Either
implementation can be achieved by connecting (or
disconnecting) the BNC shell to the center pin of BNC input
connector. More sophisticated implementations can make use of
electronic circuits that perform the same function as a passive
switch, such as transistors.

Input BNC a) Input BNC b)

Connector Switch Connector Switch

Figure 12. Passive Trigger Inputs: a) Disconnecting the 0V potential at

the event of interest, b) Connecting the 0V potential at the event of
interest.

(a) (b)

Figure 13. Passive Trigger Input Settings: (a) Use the falling edge
position of the START or STOP Input Edge Selector when connecting
0V from the BNC input. (b) Use the rising edge position of the START
or STOP Input Edge Selector when disconnecting 0V to the BNC input.
Note that the above figure is only representative and may vary with
different device models.

19
 CAUTION: The center pin of the Output BNC connector
must never be connected to the BNC shell or to the 0V
potential as this may damage the Trigger Module.

Push Button Inputs

Two push buttons are provided to allow for remote manual
START and remote manual STOP signals to EMGworks. The
trigger signal is sent as soon as switch contact occurs. A green
led on the button illuminates for approximately 1/2 second once
a valid signal is sensed. The push button triggers will only
function when the corresponding Input Edge Selector is set for a
“rising” edge.

(a) (b) (c)

Figure 14. Configuring the Trigger Module for Push button START and
STOP commands. (a) STOP Push button, (b) START Push button,
(c) START and STOP Input Edge Selectors must be set to the rising
edge position for the Push buttons to operate. Note that the above figure
is only representative and may vary with different device models.

20 Trigger Module User’s Guide

Start/Stop Trigger Output Options
START and STOP trigger output signals can be generated from
EMGworks in order to control other hardware in an
experimental setup. This corresponds to Scenario #2 in the
Trigger Module Usage Scenarios. The signals can be configured
by the Trigger Module to be positive or negative pulses and can
be configured to be long (75 ms) or short (150 ns). These signals
are accessible from START and STOP Output BNC connectors
on the module.

START Trigger Output

A START trigger output signal is generated at the same instant
that EMGworks begins to acquire data. Data acquisition in
EMGworks can begin in one of the following ways:
• a manual keyboard or mouse command in EMGworks
• a predetermined command in an EMGworks Test
• a START trigger input signal.
The START trigger output signal is an active signal, so that at
any point in time it is either connected to 0V or to 5V. It can be a
positive signal (rising from 0V to 5V) or a negative signal
(falling from 5V to 0V), determined by the position of the
START Output Polarity Selector. Additionally, it can be a short
pulse of about 300us or a long pulse of about 1s, as determined
by the START Output Pulse Length Selector.

(a) (b) (c)

Figure 15. Configuring the START trigger output signal (a) START
Output Polarity Selector. (b) START Output BNC connector, (c) START
Output Pulse Length Selector. Note that the above figure is only
representative and may vary with different device models.

21
 6
Input Signal
5
4

Start Input (V)

3
2 (a)
1

0
-1
-2
0 0.15 0.30 0.45 0.60 0.75 0.90 1.05 1.20 1.35
Time [s]

6
Start Output Positive Long
5

1s
4
Start Output (V)

3
2 (b)
1

0
-1
-2
0 0.15 0.30 0.45 0.60 0.75 0.90 1.05 1.20 1.35
Time [s]
6
Start Output Negative Long
5
4
1s
Start Output (V)

3
2
1
(c)
0
-1
-2
0 0.15 0.30 0.45 0.60 0.75 0.90 1.05 1.20 1.35
Time [s]

6
Start Output Positive Short
5
4
Start Output (V)

300us
3
2
1
(d)
0
-1
-2
0 0.15 0.30 0.45 0.60 0.75 0.90 1.05 1.20 1.35
Time [s]

Figure 16. START trigger output signals synchronized with a START

trigger input signal. (a) Example START trigger input signal, (b)
Typical START output positive long pulse, (c) Typical START output
negative long pulse, (d) Typical START output positive short pulse.
The choice of whether to use a positive output pulse or a
negative output pulse and whether to use a short pulse or a long
pulse will depend entirely on the additional hardware that is to
be controlled by EMGworks.

Please consult the documentation for your additional

hardware to determine the appropriate trigger output
signals.

Note that the long and short pulse lengths can vary up to
20% depending on hardware impedances and signal timing.

22 Trigger Module User’s Guide

Stop Trigger Output
A STOP trigger output signal is generated as soon as EMGworks
processes a command to stop data acquisition. Data acquisition
can stop in any of the following ways:
• a manual keyboard or mouse command in EMGworks
• a predetermined command in an EMGworks Test,
• a STOP trigger output signal
The STOP trigger output signal is an active signal, so that at any
point in time it is either connected to 0V or to 5V. Like the
START trigger output signal, it can be a positive signal (rising
from 0V to 5V) or a negative signal (falling from 5V to 0V),
determined by the position of the STOP Output Polarity
Selector. Additionally, it can be a short pulse of about 300us or a
long pulse of about 1s, as determined by the STOP Output Pulse
Length Selector.

(a) (b) (c)

Figure 17. Configuring the STOP trigger output signal (a) STOP
Output Polarity Selector. (b) STOP Output BNC connector, (c) STOP
Output Pulse Length Selector. Note that the above figure is only
representative and may vary with different device models.

23
 6
Stop Input Signal
5
4
(a)

Stop Input (V)

3
2
1

0
-1
-2
0 0.15 0.30 0.45 0.60 0.75 0.90 1.05 1.20 1.35
Time [s]

6
Stop Output Positive Long
5
4
t (b)
Stop Output (V)

3 1s
2
1

0
-1
-2
0 0.15 0.30 0.45 0.60 0.75 0.90 1.05 1.20 1.35
Time [s]
6
Stop Output Negative Long
5

t (c)
4
Stop Output (V)

3 1s
2
1

0
-1
-2
0 0.15 0.30 0.45 0.60 0.75 0.90 1.05 1.20 1.35
Time [s]

6
Stop Output Positive Short
5

300us (d)
4
Stop Output (V)

3
2 t
1

0
-1
-2
0 0.15 0.30 0.45 0.60 0.75 0.90 1.05 1.20 1.35
Time [s]

Figure 18. STOP trigger output signals synchronized with a STOP

trigger input signal. (a) Example STOP trigger input signal, (b) Typical
STOP output positive long pulse, (c) Typical STOP output negative long
pulse, (d) Typical STOP output positive short pulse. Note that the delay,
t, between STOP trigger input signal and the STOP trigger output
pulse is dependent upon the specifications of the computer and on
internal operating system parameters. This time delay can range from
10 ms to 500 ms.

24 Trigger Module User’s Guide

Appendix - Synchronization and Triggering

The Need for Synchronization

Physiological studies often utilize a variety of specialized mea-
surement systems in experimental designs. The ideal case
employs a single data acquisition system that records all neces-
sary data types, inherently time-synchronizing all measure-
ments. In many cases, however, it is necessary to have multiple
data acquisition systems that are specifically designed for only
one type of measurement. An example that is often encountered
in the Biomechanics field is the need to record EMG data from
the body’s muscles as well as Motion Capture data from the
body’s movements. It is important to ensure that an EMG event
detected by the EMG system is correlated to the corresponding
biomechanical event detected by the Motion Capture system at
the same point in time. In order to ensure this, the Motion Cap-
ture system must start at the same time that the EMG data acqui-
sition system starts, so that no effective delay is observed
between the two.

Acceptable Delays
The ability to discern the time delay between data acquisition
systems is determined by the lowest sampling frequency. For
example, the typical sampling rate for a surface EMG signal is
1000 samples/second, which constitutes a sampling period of
1 ms. A Motion Capture systems may sample at 100 frames/
second, corresponding to a sampling period of 10 ms. In this
case, a synchronization delay of 10 ms or less would be virtually
undetectable, since the Motion Capture system is not able to
resolve a time quantum smaller than this value. From a practical
perspective, time delays up to several hundred milliseconds may
be acceptable for physiological measurements, depending on the
nature of the investigation.

25
 Measurement Data A
tstart(A) time

Measurement Data B
tstart(B) time
T
Figure 19. Time Delay Between the Start of Data Acquisition Systems.
It is important to ensure that this time delay is minimized to an
acceptable period.

Constant vs. Variable Time Delays

An important distinction between constant delays and variable
delays must be understood. In some cases, the delay between
data acquisition systems is a known, constant quantity, usually
inherent in one of the measurement systems. A constant time
delay is a benign inconvenience that can be corrected during
data analysis. For example, if it is known that Motion Capture
Data is always measured with a 100 ms delay with respect to the
EMG data, then the data can be shifted in time by this same
amount during analysis so that the information presented is time-
synchronized.
Time delays that are variable in measurement systems are usu-
ally unknown to the investigator, and thus pose greater difficulty
in their management. These types of delays are often introduced
by software processes that are intrinsic to computer operation
and cannot be controlled by data acquisition systems. In some
cases an upper limit can be placed on these delays. These upper
limits are usually a statistical average and must be treated as
such. If this upper bound is smaller than the largest sampling
period, or if it is otherwise an acceptable time period for the
experimental design, then it can be effectively ignored. If, how-
ever, this upper bound is too large or unknown, then a synchro-
nization strategy must be implemented to manage the delay.
Fortunately, most data acquisition systems offer a variety of
strategies for minimizing, and, in some cases, completely elimi-
nating time delays.

26 Trigger Module User’s Guide

The Concept of Triggering
The key to implementing a successful triggering strategy is to
establish a control signal that is capable of immediately starting
data acquisition on one or more systems. The ability for a data
acquisition system to start with a digital control signal is usually
described as a Start Trigger Input. The ability for a data acqui-
sition system to start other systems with a digital control signal
is usually described an a Start Trigger Output. In most cases,
the specifications of these control signals are 5V digital pulses
whose polarity and width will vary for different manufacturers.

Measurement
Data Input
Data
Acquisition
Start Trigger Start Trigger
Input
System Output

Figure 20. Important Signals in a Triggering Scheme. All data

acquisition systems have an input for measurement data. Systems that
have a Start Trigger Input can be started with a digital control signal.
Those that have a Start Trigger Output can output a digital control
signal when acquisition is started.

27
Primary/Secondary Triggering
A common strategy is to designate one data acquisition system
as the primary device that controls all other data acquisition sys-
tems, the secondary devices. In this case, the Primary Data
Acquisition System must have a Start Trigger Output, which
is asserted the moment data sampling begins. This trigger signal
is connected directly to the Start Trigger Input of the Second-
ary System, which initiates sampling on the second system.
Note that it is possible to control more than one Secondary Data
Acquisition System in this way. It may be necessary to condi-
tion the Start Trigger Output signal so that it can be interpreted
correctly by the Secondary System, as dictated by the manufac-
turer’s specifications.

Measurement Measurement
Data Input A Data Input B
Primary Secondary
Data Acquisition Data Acquisition
System (A) System (B)
Trigger Signal

Figure 21. Triggering Scheme Using a Primary Data Acquisition

System to Control a Secondary Data Acquisition System. The Start
Trigger Output of the Primary System is directly input to the Start
Trigger Input of the Secondary System so that when acquisition is
started by the Primary System, it will signal the Secondary System to
start.

28 Trigger Module User’s Guide

Independent-Signal Triggering
For those systems that are only equipped with a Start Trigger
Input feature, it is necessary to implement a control signal that
is independent from the data acquisition systems in order to start
them. In this scenario, all of the data acquisition systems are
connected as Secondary Systems under the control of this inde-
pendent device. This device could be a simple push-button
switch or a digital control signal coming from a computer or
other instrument.

Measurement
Data Input A
Data Acquisition
System (A)
Start Trigger Input

Independent Measurement
Trigger Device Data Input B
Data Acquisition
System (B)
Start Trigger Input

Figure 22. Triggering Scheme Using an Independent Trigger Signal to

Start All Data Acquisition Systems. The same signal is input to the Start
Trigger Input of all systems.

29
Common Signal Synchronization
In those cases where data acquisition systems do not support
triggering functions, it may be possible to establish time syn-
chronization of data by measuring a signal that is common to all
systems. This is usually accomplished by sending an electrical
pulse to one channel in each data acquisition system. All sys-
tems will record this electrical event on their respective chan-
nels, regardless of when the actual data sampling was started. A
simple example of this technique might employ a 5V pulse that
is activated by a push-button switch, which is sampled by all the
active data acquisition systems. The time resolution of this tech-
nique is limited by the system which samples at the lowest rate,
hence having the largest sampling period. Note that this
approach may require each system to have a dedicated channel
for observing the synchronization signal.

Measurement
Data Input A Primary
Data Acquisition
System (A)

Push Button Switch

Measurement
Data Input B Primary
Data Acquisition
System (B)

Figure 23. Synchronization Scheme for Data Acquisition Systems that

Lack Start Trigger Inputs. A common signal, in this case a pulse from a
push button, is input to one data channel in each data acquisition
system. The data can then be synchronized during analysis using this
common signal.

Stop Triggers
All of the triggering concepts discussed for synchronizing the
start of data acquisition systems can be directly extended to situ-
ations requiring the synchronous stopping of data acquisition
systems. Delays associated with Stop Triggers are not as critical
as those affecting Start triggers, since they only dictate the
length of the recorded data set and can be truncated as needed.
Stop Trigger features can only be implement with those devices
that offer Stop Trigger Inputs and Stop Trigger Outputs.

30 Trigger Module User’s Guide

Specifications

Trigger Module

General
Dimensions 139.7 x 91.44 x 27.94 mm
Mass 233 g
Cable Length 3m
Cable Connector SP-U02: LEMO pn FGG.0B.306.CLAD56
SP-U05: Hirose pn 3240-8P-C(50)
Trigger I/O Connectors BNC

Electrical
Logic Level 5V
Pulse Width Variability +/- 10%
Power Consumption TBD
Output Drive Current TBD

31
Component References

Part Description Part Number

Trigger Module Package (Bagnoli) DS-U02
Trigger Module (Bagnoli) SP-U02
Trigger Module User’s Guide PM-U02
Trigger Module Package (Myomonitor) DS-U07
Trigger Module (Myomonitor) SP-U05
9V Battery SC-T01
Trigger Module User’s Guide PM-U02

32 Trigger Module User’s Guide